Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-01-27
rHr RArTTp on STONE RIyrF

as they tiId upon the lights OF MurfreeSbOro,
I've miles away
Two days from tomorrow is New Years. .
said Kent Edwards Dear festival Of egg
nogg how sweet are thy memories hope
the Tennessee hens are doing thei4 duty this
winter, 50 that we'll have no trouble finding
eggs when we get to GIurfreesboro to-mor-
row
I'VE arc likely to be so busy rendering the
compliments of the season to MIR. Bragg
said Harry, lightly, that We will probably
have but little time to make calls L, )on the
lady hens who keep open ncsts.n
we al may be where wen need lots o
cold voter more than anything else, said
Abe grniy.
We'll sud Kent bIithely, III I'm to be
lnade sweet little angel don't know any
day that | would rather have for my promo
ton to date from. It woud have a very
proper look TO put in the full year here on
earth, and start in with the new one in a
world Of superior attractions
"Well, | declare, if here isn't Pr Denslow,"
said Harry, delightetlly, as Ito recognized a
horsenian, who rode uD to them "How did
you come here2 We thought sou were per
manently stationed at the grand hospital"
80 | was, replied the doctor $50 l was,
at least 50 far as general orders could do it.
But felt that | could not be away from my
boys ut this supreme moment, and | am here,
though the irregular way in which detached
myself from my post may require expla-
nation 10 a court martial. Anyhow, it is a
grateful relief to be away from the smell of
chloride Of lime, and get breath Of fresh
air that is not mingled with the groans Of q
ward full Of sick mon 1t looks he contin-
ued, with q comprehensive glance at the
armament Of Confederate campfres that made
Murfreesboro secm tho centre Of d rudy
Milky way, as if the grand climax is at last
at hand Bragg, like the worm, will at last
turn, and after a yearof foot races wen have
fight which will settle who is the superfu-
Gus cat in this alley. There is certainly ono
too many"
THE sooner it comes the better said
Harry, firmly at has to be sometime, ind
I'm ga hing very anxious for ap end to this
eternal marching and communicating.
my winsome little feet" Kent Edwards
put in, plantively, "are llnobbY as a burglar
proof safe, with corns and Etnions all of
them more tender than q uiaid ais heart and
painful as a mistake ii pollel hand. They're
the ripe fruit of the thousands Of miles of side
hills, I've had TO tramp over because of Mr..
/ Bragg retiring disposition Now, if hes got
tho spirit Of a man he'll come out from under
the bed and fight me-"
80, he'll como out-hell come out-never
YOU fear" said Abe, sardonic as usual Hes
got day or two's leisure now to attend to
MS business. A hundred thousand of him
win come out. They'll swarm out o them
cedar thiclets there like grasshoppers out of
timothy field.
Boys said Harry, returning after a few
| minutes absence, "the colonel says well 60
into camp right here, justas We stand Kent,
| I'll take the canteens and hult up water, il
/ you and Abe will break some cedar boughs
for the bed, and get the wood to cook supper
! WITH
All right responded Kent. "I'n 20 after
| the bougils
THAT puts me III for the wood" grumbled
Ale. ~And don't suppose there's a fence
inside of a mile, and if there is there's not a
! poplar rail ii it. 2
And doctor, continued Harry, fiinging
I the canteens over his shoulders, "youil stay
/ and take a cup Of coffee and sleep with us
tonight, won't you. The trains are all fan
| bel nd, and the hospital wagon must be miles
away
/ Seems to me that I've heard something of
! the improperly OF visiting your friends just
about meal time,n said TIE doctor quiz1ically,
/ but a cup Of coffee just now has more charms
| for me than rigid etiquette, so Til thankfully
accept your kind invitation. Some day ri
| reciprorato with liberality ia doses OF qui-
nine.
! In less time thau that taken by we'll ap-
! pointed kitchens 70 furnish aEfot Meals to
| Order the four were sitting on their blankets
around comfortable fire Of rails end cedar
1 logs eating hard bread and broiled fat pork
I aud drinking strong black coffee, which the
magic OF the opea air hal Transmitted into
Delightfully."- delicate and reliahable y;anls.
i "Iou arc indebted to me, said Dr. Dens-
/ low, as he flashed the last crt;nb ai.l drop OF
| lis portion 81 lis food for tic accession to
/ your company ct this needful ZINE Of a tower
/ of strength il the person Of Lie,Ik Joseph
+ Pancake
i Abe gToa9 q the doctor looked 1T him with
/ wen feigEc,i aatonishment and continued:
! THAT 1are hungry patriot, as Epu know,
has been hone several months on recruiting
+ duty, by virtue OF certificate which he
ohecdled ont Of cd l1oxon At last. when
! ne couldn't keep away any longer, he started
back, but he carefully restrained his natural
/ inlpetuosity iii rushing totbs tented field, and
I
i fine specimen Of easy deliberation. There
was not a sign Of ungentleranly hurry in
any part Of it. lie came into my ward at
I Nashville with violent symptoms Of a half
dozen speedily fatal diseases. was cruel
j enough to see a coincidence in this attack and
/ the general marching orders, and prescribed
i for his ailments thorough course Of open air
i exercise. To be sure that my prescription
would BE taken had the provost marshal IN
torest bpnself in my PATIENTS case and tho
+ result was that Pancake 5oined the regiment,
and 50 far has found il difficult to get away
/ from it Its The unexpected that happens,
i the French say, and there is a bare possibility
/ that he may do tine country some service by
+ the accidental discharge OF his duty"
The possibility is too remote TO waste time
I considering" said Harry.
i They lay down together upon bed made
4 by spreading their overcoats and blankets
upon the springy cedar boughs, and all but
+ Harry We're soon fast asleep. Though fully
as weary as they he could not sleep for
hours. lie was dominated by a feeling that
crisis IN his fate was at hand, and as he lay
and looked at the stars every possible shape
+ that that fate could take drifted across his
mind, even es the cndlessly varying cloud
shapes swept-now fanguidly, now hurriedly
across the doned sky above him And as
the moon and the stars shone through or
around each Of the clouds, making the light
+ er ones masses Of translucent glory. and gid
ing the edges of eNgn the blacklist with sill
very promise so me thoughts of Rachel
Bond suffused with some brightness every
possible happening 70 him. If be achieved
anything the achievement would have for its
chief value that it won her commentator;
if he fell, the blacllneSs Of death would he
gilded by her knowledge that be died a brave
mans death for her sweet sake.
lie listened awhile to the mournful whinny
Of the mules; TO the sound of artillery rolling
up the resonant pike; to the Crushing Of new
" arrived regiments through the cedars as
they made their camps in line Of battle: 10
little spurts Of firing between the nervous
2icsets, and at last fell asleep to dream that,
he Ssas returning TO Sardis, manned but hon
or crowned. to claim Rachel as his exultant
bride
The Christmas forenoon was quite well adj
yanced bosore the fatigue Of Rachel Bonds
iong rfae was yufHcSelrf tSs1seS Il alr-vfAr